Vaccine skeptics dominate South Carolina pandemic preparation meeting as COVID-19 cases rise

Source: Associated Press

Vaccine skeptics dominate South Carolina pandemic preparation meeting as COVID-19 cases rise

BY JAMES POLLARD
Updated 5:05 PM EDT, September 12, 2023

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A meeting Tuesday of South Carolina lawmakers considering how to best counter future pandemics was dominated by vaccine skeptics pushing concerns about COVID-19 immunizations that are unaccepted by the greater medical community.

Members of the all-Republican panel seeking more independence from federal health regulators were receptive to speakers who sewed doubt about vaccine safety and efficacy, as well as distrust in the scientific establishment. Testimony began with an hourlong presentation from Aaron Siri, the managing partner at a New York law firm that 2021 tax filings show received over $3 million from an influential Texas-based group that campaigns against vaccine requirements.

“What I don’t want us to do is follow the regimented FDA, whatever the federal government tells us,” Republican state Sen. Billy Garrett told Dr. Edward Simmer, the director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/covid19-pandemic-vaccine-south-carolina-041ad84a6f8cd5f086ea61db4c3c81d3